It is well known that production in petroleum, natural gas and geothermal wells can be greatly enhanced by hydraulic fracturing techniques. These techniques are known in the art and generally comprise introducing an aqueous solution of a water-soluble gum (e.g. guar gum) in which "proppants" (e.g. coarse sand or sintered bauxite) are suspended through the well bore under extremely high pressures into the rock structure in which the petroleum, gas or steam is entrained. Minute fissures in the rock are thereby created and held open by the suspended particles after the liquid has been drained off. The petroleum, gas or steam can then flow through this porous zone into the well. Viscofiers, fluid loss additives and breakers are often added to the fracturing composition to enhance the fracturing process. It is often desirable to utilize a crosslinking agent to speed the formation of a gel. Titanium crosslinkers are known to form stable gels at neutral pH up to about 250.degree. F. to 275.degree. F. At a pH of approximately 8 or 9, the titanium crosslinked gels are thermally stable up to about 300.degree. F. to 325.degree. F., but the shear stability of these high pH, titanium crosslinked gels is poor. A need exists, therefore, for a gel system stable for several hours at high pH and fluid temperatures in excess of 300.degree. F.